Grant Eligibility Assessment

OK, let's see which scheme(s) you are eligible for! As explained elsewhere on this site, Eco Bear will check your eligibility against ALL available schemes including the Energy Company Obligation 4 Scheme (ECO4) , the flexible Local Authority Scheme (LA Flex), Warm Home Discount (WHD), Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) and Home Upgrade Grant (HUG), and any others you might qualify for.

Due to the complex nature of these schemes and there interactions with each other (for example, you couldn't have work done that is part funded by ECO4 and SHDF even if you qualified for both) it is best to fill out our Scheme Eligibility Assessment Form (SEAF) and our advisers will determine what you can get in terms of scheme grants and other free or discounted deals.

Always remember that ECO BEAR is a FREE service to you the consumer - we are funded by the providers, not by consumers. ECO BEAR is also fully independent of any of the sponsoring companies or installation providers - we do not carry out any of the work. If you want to see the general criteria for the two most popular schemes they are linked to by the buttons below,

but the best way to find a grant is fill in the form and let us do a search for you.

ECO4 Eligibility Guidelines

LA Flex Eligibility Guidelines

ECO4 Eligibility Criteria

The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is a government energy efficiency scheme in Great Britain to tackle fuel poverty and help reduce carbon emissions. It is available to both Homeowners and tenants.

In order to benefit from ECO your property will need to require energy efficiency upgrades. The specific measures that would benefit your home would be determined by a retrofit assessment. But broadly, your home must have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating that is relatively low (less energy efficient) — for example, bands E, F or G.

You must own your own home or have permission from your landlord, including if the property is owned by a social housing provider or management company.

You could be eligible for ECO if you receive at least one of the following benefits:

Child Benefit
Pension Guarantee Credit
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
Income Support
Universal Credit
Housing benefit
Pension Credit Savings Credit

Check Your Grant Eligibility Here

LA Flex Eligibility Criteria

Local Authority Flexible Eligibility (“LA Flex”) is an extension of the ECO4 scheme that allows councils and devolved administrations to widen access to energy-efficiency funding. Unlike standard ECO4 — which relies mainly on means-tested benefits — LA Flex lets local authorities refer households based on locally-defined indicators of fuel poverty or vulnerability.

Key differences from ECO4 (in simple terms)

You do not need to receive benefits to qualify.
Eligibility is based on your local council’s criteria, not a UK-wide benefits list.
The council must issue a referral/approval (Statement of Intent + Declaration).
The focus is on low-income households, high energy costs, and health vulnerabilities, rather than benefits alone.
Landlord permission rules and EPC requirements remain broadly similar.

LA Flex Eligibility Criteria (full list)

Your local authority can approve your property for ECO4 funding if any of the following apply. The exact criteria vary by council, but the national framework follows these general principles:

1. Property requirements (similar to standard ECO4)

The home must be a private domestic property (owner-occupied or private rented).
The property must generally have a low EPC rating (D–G), although some councils set more specific rules.
Private tenants still require landlord permission for any works.
Difference from ECO4: none significant here — property rules remain aligned.

2. Low-income households (no benefits required)

Most councils set an income threshold. A common benchmark is:

Annual household income below ~£31,000 before tax.
Some councils use lower, higher, or sliding thresholds.

Difference from ECO4:

Standard ECO4 requires specific benefits.
LA Flex requires no benefits, just income assessment according to the council’s rules.

3. Fuel-poverty indicators

Households may qualify if they face high energy costs relative to income, for example:

High heating costs due to poor insulation or old heating systems.
Large households with high energy use.
Properties off the gas grid relying on expensive fuels.

Difference from ECO4:

ECO4 does not directly consider fuel-cost burden; LA Flex does.

4. Health-vulnerability criteria

Many councils allow eligibility if any resident has a health condition affected by cold housing, such as:

Respiratory illness (asthma, COPD)
Cardiovascular disease
Mobility issues
Immune-system vulnerabilities
Mental health conditions worsened by cold or damp

Households containing someone over 65 or under 5 may also be prioritised.

Difference from ECO4:

Standard ECO4 does not recognise health conditions as a pathway to eligibility.
LA Flex explicitly includes health-based vulnerability.

5. Geographic or deprivation factors

Some councils approve LA Flex funding if the property is located in:

A recognised fuel-poverty area
A high-deprivation LSOA (e.g., IMD deciles 1–3)
A rural or hard-to-heat region

Difference from ECO4:

Standard ECO4 eligibility is household-based, not location-based.
LA Flex introduces area-based eligibility.

6. Council referral process (mandatory)

For LA Flex to apply:

The local authority must publish a Statement of Intent (SOI) setting out its criteria.
The authority must sign a Declaration confirming the household meets its LA Flex rules.
Installers can then proceed as if the household met ECO4 standards.

Difference from ECO4: